Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien: Live Duet Album

DARRELL SCOTT AND TIM O’BRIEN
COLLABORATE ON NEW ALBUM

Darrell Scott and Tim O’Brien , known for their solo work as well as for stints in high-profile bands, have united for a live album. Titled We’re Usually a Lot Better Than This, and due for release October 9, 2012 on the Full Light Records label through Thirty Tigers, the album was recorded during two separate concerts at the Grey Eagle in Asheville, N.C. in 2005 and 2006. The shows were benefits for the Arthur Morgan School, where both had children attending as students at the time.

The album contains 13 songs including originals by both O’Brien and Scott from Real Time (their Grammy-nominated studio album from 2000), plus covers of songs by Townes Van Zandt (“White Freightliner Blues”), Lefty Frizzell (“Mom and Dad’s Waltz”), Hank Williams (“House of Gold”), Gordon Lightfoot (“Early Morning Rain”) and Keith Whitley (“You Don’t Have to Move That Mountain”). It was mixed and mastered by Ray Kennedy.

“Tim is what is called a quadruple threat,” says Scott. “He writes great, he sings and plays great, and he plays well with others. What we found is that there’s a fire, an intensity, an immediacy, even an intimacy, when Tim and I get together.”

“Tim urges me to do my best listening, playing and singing. He urges me to embrace the old-soul country that lies in wait inside me. He does this by being the best I know in all of the above. He stands in the river and says, ‘Come in, the water’s fine.’ And I go in and we play.”

We’re Usually a Lot Better Than This is testament to their chemistry.